UK: Drug addicts to get priority access to H1N1 vaccine?

July 28, 2009

Drug addicts 'may be given priority access to swine flu vaccine'

Drug addicts may be given priority access to the swine flu vaccine under plans

being drawn up by the health authorities, it has emerged.

Published: 5:47PM BST 26 Jul 2009

Professor Lindsey Davies, director of the Department of Health's Pandemic

Influenza Preparedness unit, said that those suffering from long-term

maintenance conditions such as heroin addicts who are receiving methadone

treatment could be included in the " vulnerable " groups that will be targeted

first.

The revelation will cause controversy at a time when there is increasing public

disquiet about the potential effects of swine flu, which claimed 100,000 victims

last week alone and has claimed more than 30 lives in this country so far...

The response implied that drug addicts would be included in the vulnerable

groups who could be afforded special priority treatment when the vaccine becomes

available.

According to figures put before parliament recently, some 131,500 people in

England were treated with methadone or a similar substance between 2007 and

2008.

A Department of Health spokesman insisted no decision has yet been made whether

to include them in the list of those classed with long-term conditions.

" Professor Davies was talking generally about people who have immune suppressive

systems – the actual priority groups are yet to be decided, " he said.

iority-access-to-swine-flu-vaccine.html

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